6 Reasons Doctors Put Their Health on the Backburner.

Are you sick and tired of reading another article that lists the same suggestions such as getting more sleep, eating better, exercise, and meditate? You’ve heard the same message many times and might even find yourself rolling your eyes. These recommendations, while beneficial, continue to fall on deaf ears.

Yet, there’s still a part of you that’s seeking out advice; searching for that “ah-ha” life-changing moment. That part of you is screaming for change.

What keeps a doctor from putting their health and wellbeing first? What keeps them from taking their own advice?

As a naturopathic doctor, I’m always looking for the cause. I started to research the roadblocks clinicians face internally and externally.

Based on mine and other's research, I have compiled a list of common reasons doctors don't seek help or make their health a priority. See if any of these resonate with you.

When you can identify the main roadblock keeping you from making positive changes, you can then start to work through the problem. The clearer the problem, the clearer solutions will become. Whatever is getting in your way from making your well-being top priority, it’s time to start addressing it.

The Competitive Overachiever

Are you the clinician that stacks the schedule with as many patients as you can fit in, then goes home to work on your book, getting very little sleep, and pushing through the fatigue the following day? Perhaps you are looking at your colleagues and seeing how many patients they can pack into a day; and you follow suit. If you have the tendency to compare yourself to what others are doing and trying to exceed their achievements, you may be a competitive overachiever.